illegal

[ih-lee-guhl] / ɪˈli gəl /

ADJECTIVE

against the law

Synonyms

STRONGEST

banned criminal illegitimate illicit irregular outlawed prohibited smuggled unauthorized unconstitutional unlawful unlicensed unwarranted wrongful

WEAK

actionable black-market bootleg contraband crooked extralegal felonious forbidden heavy hot interdicted lawless not approved not legal outside the law proscribed prosecutable racket shady sub-rosa taboo under-the-table unofficial unwarrantable verboten violating wildcat

Antonyms

STRONGEST

authorized blessed ethical good justifiable lawful legal legitimate moral permitted right warranted

WEAK

allowed permissible

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has condemned a new wave of US sanctions on the country as "illegal and abusive".

From BBC • May 2, 2026

WilmerHale said it found that Botstein didn’t engage in illegal behavior.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

But Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares denounced the detention of Abu Keshek as "illegal", saying it would further stain deteriorating bilateral ties.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

In a Spanish-language statement, he called the sanctions "illegal" and "abusive."

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

A gleaming jet-black top-of-the-line Jaguar coupe performed a tread-melting illegal U-turn, much to the horror of the cab coming head-on.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Vocabulary lists containing illegal

List 3

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"A Natural Balance" and "In My Dreams"

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Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech

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